Nagpal last name popularity, history, and meaning

Find out how popular the last name Nagpal is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Nagpal.

Meaning of Nagpal

A surname originating from India, indicating a town protector or watchman.

Nagpal, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Nagpal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Nagpal in America

Nagpal is the 35912th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Nagpal surname appeared 625 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Nagpal.

We can also compare 2010 data for Nagpal to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 35912 55003 -42.00%
Count 625 350 56.41%
Proportion per 100k 0.21 0.13 47.06%

The history of the last name Nagpal

The surname Nagpal has its roots in the Indian subcontinent, originating from the Sanskrit language. It is believed to have been derived from the ancient Indian word 'Naga,' which means snake or serpent, and 'Pal,' meaning protector or lord. This combination suggests that the name may have originally been associated with individuals or communities who revered snakes or had a connection to them.

Historically, the name Nagpal can be traced back to the medieval period in India, particularly in the regions of Rajasthan and Punjab. It is possible that the name was associated with certain clans or tribes that held positions of authority or played a significant role in the protection of their communities. However, there is limited recorded evidence of specific individuals bearing this surname in ancient manuscripts or records.

One of the earliest known references to the name Nagpal can be found in the chronicles of the Rajput rulers of Mewar, a region in present-day Rajasthan. It is mentioned that during the 16th century, a prominent Nagpal family held influential positions in the court of the Maharana of Mewar. Unfortunately, specific names and dates are not available.

In the 18th century, a notable figure named Raghunath Nagpal (birth and death dates unknown) gained recognition as a skilled military commander in the service of the Maratha Empire. He is said to have played a crucial role in several battles against the Mughal forces.

Another prominent individual bearing the surname Nagpal was Pandit Ratan Nath Nagpal (1839-1908), a renowned scholar of Sanskrit and ancient Indian literature. He authored several works on Hindu philosophy and mythology, and his contributions to the preservation of Indian cultural heritage were widely recognized.

During the 19th century, the Nagpal surname also gained prominence in the region of Punjab. One notable figure was Sardar Bahadur Sardar Dyal Singh Nagpal (1849-1898), a successful businessman and philanthropist who established several educational institutions in Lahore, including the prestigious Dyal Singh College.

In more recent times, Kamal Nagpal (1938-2002) was a respected Indian film producer and director who worked in both Hindi and Punjabi cinema. He is credited with launching the careers of several famous actors and contributing to the growth of the Indian film industry.

It is important to note that while this overview provides historical insights into the surname Nagpal, it is not an exhaustive account, as records from ancient times can be limited or incomplete. The name's enduring presence, however, reflects its deep-rooted cultural significance in the Indian subcontinent.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Nagpal

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Nagpal.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

  1. White only
  2. Black only
  3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
  4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
  5. Hispanic
  6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Nagpal was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 3.68% 23
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 92.48% 578
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 2.24% 14
Hispanic Origin 0.96% 6

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Nagpal has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 3.68% 4.86% -27.63%
Black (S)% 0.00% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 92.48% 89.71% 3.04%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 2.24% 4.29% -62.79%
Hispanic 0.96% (S)% (S)%

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Nagpal was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Nagpal, please contact us.

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"Nagpal last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/nagpal-surname-popularity/.

"Nagpal last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/nagpal-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 December, 2024

Nagpal last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/nagpal-surname-popularity/.

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